Instrument panel



J. ZUBATY ET AL INSTRUMENT PKNEL Filed Oct. 15, 1927 May 27, 1930;

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g5 59 v- Mfg-Mafia Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED raise Fries JOSEPH zUBA'rY ANn noN E. KEENEY, or F INT, MIcnIeAN, AssIGNoRs'To A c SPARK PLUG ooMPANY, or FLINT, MICHIGAN, A COMPANY or MICHIGAN INsTnUMnNa PANEL Application filed October 13, 1927; Serial No. 225,923.

This invention relates to a support for instruments and a lighting means therefor and has particularly to do with the instruments usually provided on the dashboard of an automotive vehicle.

It is an object of this invention to provide an instrument panel formed from a single stamping and adapted to support the usual instruments. It is a further object of the invention to so form the panel that the lighting means may be removably supported thereon adjacent the instruments and to provide a simple reflector that will reflect the light to the dials of all the instruments carried. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of my improved instrument panel.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of 5 Figure 1.

Figure 3 Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the clamps used for fixing the panel to the 36 dashboard. i

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view on line 5-5 of Figure 2. I

' Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates the supporting strip which in the embodiment shown is the dashboard of an automotive vehicle which is provided with an aperture within which fits the instrument board or panel 12. The panel is shaped from a single metal stamping and is formed with a bezel 14, a stepped portion 16 and a rear face 18 on which are supported the various instruments and the light bulb. Fi ting in the stepped portion 16 and spaced therefrom by the gasket 20 is the glass plate 22 which is held in place by the retaining strip 24 provided at spaced intervals about its periphery with rearwardly extending tabs 26 extended throu h orrespondingly is a section on the line 33 of shapedapertures in the stepped portion 16 and bent over as at 27 for holding the assembly firmly together. The retaining strip 24 may be of any suitable polished or plated material.

- A lamp bracket 30 is fixed to the panel by means of rivets 31 and is provided with beaded prongs 32 adapted to hold light socket 34 carrying light bulb 35. A hole 36 is punched in the panel opposite the light socket, defining a downwardly extending tongue or lug 38 to which is riveted a bellshaped or conical reflector 40 adapted to refiect the light to the dials of the adjacent instruments. A sheet 42 of suitably colored glass or pyralin is fixed between the bracket 30 and panel for diffusing the light reflected to the dials.

The panel'is provided with suitable apertures for reception of the instruments. These apertures may be of any suitable or desirable shape, size or arrangement, depending on the desired shape, size and arrangement of dials. Each instrument is provided with a bezel 44 and a shoulder 46 so that it will fit snugly in its respective aperture. I

The assembled instruments and panel are held in place by means of clamps and bolts which may be applied in a variety of ways. In the embodiment shown the central clamp 48 is straight and is connected with the panel by means of bolts 50. Each of the smaller instruments is provided with an L-shaped clamp having one end 54 resting against the back side of the instrument and the other end 58 abutting againstthe rear side of the panel. The clamp is held in place by a nut 60 on a flat headed bolt 62 extending through apertures in the panel and clamps.

The instrument board 12 carrying its instruments is held in place in its aperture in the dashboard by means of a number of U- shaped clamps 64. One end of each clamp rests against the rear side of the instrument panel and the other end rests against the rearside of the dashboard 10, the clampbeing held on bolt 62 by means 'of nut 66. The clamp 64 is shaped so that when in place it will be spaced from the nut 60, thus permitting the two clamps to be held by a single retaining bolt 62.

We claim:

1. In a device of the class described, an instrument board provided With an aperture and a tongue insaid aperture, a lighting means supported on the rear of said board adjacent said aperture, a reflector supported on said tongue on the front side of said board, and an instrument carried by said board.-

2. In a device of the class described, an instrument board provided With an arcuate aperture having a tongue therein, a lighting means supported on the'rear of said board adjacent said aperture, a conical reflector supported on said tongue on the front side of said board, and a plurality of instruments carried by said board.

v3. In a device of the class described, an

instrument panel, dials fixed to said panel, 7

a substantially cone-shapedreficctor fixed to said panel, an aperture in the panel adjacent the reflector, and a lighting element supported on the panel adjacent said aperture and-on the side opposite the reflector.

In testimony whereof We affix our signa- V tures.

JOSEPH ZUBATY. s DON E. KEENEY. 

